Challenging chain of 5 games starts Tuesday

Tuesday, November 29

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Alcorn State

Tickets

11/28/2022 7:38:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro

Reigning SWAC champion Alcorn State begins stretch of tests at GCU Arena

By: Paul Coro

Tuesday, Nov. 29 \| 7 p.m. \| GCU Arena \| Phoenix, Ariz.

	ALCORN STATE BRAVES (3-4)	at	GRAND CANYON LOPES (5-2)

WATCH: FOX 10 Xtra (Ch. 45, Cable 9), ESPN+ \| LISTEN: 1580 The Fanatic \| STATS: View

Over the next three weeks, Grand Canyon will face its third and fourth regular-season conference champions of the season, a 2022 NCAA tournament team and a pair of programs making two of the nation's best turnarounds.

The stretch starts with a Tuesday night GCU Arena visit from Southwestern Athletic defending champion Alcorn State, which played Arizona State tight deep into the second half in a Sunday road loss.

The Lopes (5-2) follow Tuesday's challenge with a trip to Wyoming, coming off a 25-win season, before games in Phoenix against teams that are cumulatively 15-6 – Loyola Marymount, North Texas (in the Jerry Colangelo Classic at Footprint Center) and Pepperdine.

With a Tuesday night victory, GCU would be the only team in the nation to defeat three reigning conference champions this season.

Phoenix, AZ. Nov. 26, 2022: The Lopes cruise to a 110-53 win over Benedictine Mesa at GCU Arena.

Phoenix, AZ. Nov. 26, 2022: The Lopes cruise to a 110-53 win over Benedictine Mesa at GCU Arena.

"I would say this is the toughest five games in a row in GCU history," Lopes head coach Bryce Drew said. "We go from conference champion to an at-large bid to a team with multiple upsets of teams from bigger conferences to another conference champion to a really good team. The next five are extremely challenging."

The Lopes have given themselves a chance to win defensively in every game but would like to be further along in late November. They went without two sets of two-player combinations for health reasons in games and another ailing pair for a week of practice.

The team appears to be closer to optimum health for the Braves, who bring depth with 30 points per game coming from their bench.

"These teams are tough, but it's more exciting playing with how our season is," GCU sophomore guard Ray Harrison said. "The intensity is at an all-time high because they know what's on the line and we know what's on the line.

"The stretch that we're going through right now is going to help us find our stride and be unified. I think we're right on track."

Alcorn (3-4) was in a one-point game at halftime at Mississippi and trailed at ASU by just five points with 10 minutes to go. But all the Lopes need to know is that the Braves won 66-57 at Wichita State, a team that beat GCU this month on a neutral court, and won 69-60 at Stephen F. Austin, where GCU lost last season.

Despite his Sun Devils winning 76-54, ASU head coach Bobby Hurley praised Alcorn for having "no quit" and "no give." The Braves are accustommed to the road, where all 13 of their nonconference games are played.

"We're seeing some signs as a staff that we really like," Drew said. "There are a lot of things we need to work on. We're getting to know our players better. You see stuff in practice, but when you play other teams, you see stuff more clearly. We're getting more comfortable with utilizing them better every day."

Alcorn is scrappy but vulnerable. The Braves rank among the nation's bottom 10 teams for fouls (23 per game) and field-goal shooting (37.5%) after their starters went 6 for 36 on Sunday. Their leading scorer, sophomore 6-foot-4 guard Dominic Brewton, comes off the bench with 13 points per game.

The Lopes discovered more of their depth this month with three starters each missing a game and blowout wins expanding playing opportunities. Ten GCU players already have posted a double-digit scoring game this season.

"It's been great," Drew said. "A lot of guys got to play, and that gives them some confidence. If more time comes later, at least they've got a taste of what it's like to be out there."

Lope tracks

GCU's defense ranks 11th nationally for opponent field goal percentage (35.3%) and opponent points per game (55.1).
The Lopes are 22-0 all-time vs. SWAC opponents.
GCU is on a seven-game winning streak at home.
Lopes junior power forward Gabe McGlothan ranks 32nd in the nation with 9.4 rebounds per game. His 18-rebound game against Northern Iowa tied for the sixth-highest total of the season nationally.
GCU is 5-0 when it makes at least six 3-pointers in a game.
The Lopes roster ranks 13th nationally for Division I experience.